The First
by kwater
Summary: Sam, Dean and Catherine face off with a Demon. As they struggle to survive Catherine finally tells the Winchesters the secret she's been carrying. This part of the catherine Chase story line. 3rd story in the Coming War Series
1. Chapter 1

The black shadow moved down the highway, gobbling up the miles. Its classic lines gleaming in the moonlight, a steady growl the only sign of passing, as it moved through dimly lit towns. The vehicle moved over the dessert terrain, bringing its occupants ever closer to their destination.

Dean sighed, and rubbed his eyes once again. He was ready for a break, but was loath to wake either of his companions. It had been a rough couple of weeks, and both looked beat to hell.

Dean glanced towards his brother, in the passenger seat, thinking of the injuries Sam had sustained on this last hunt. He noted the large bruise already forming on Sam's forehead. Plus, Dean had a constant reminder of Sam's other injury every time the younger hunter tried to straighten. The footprint that Sam now sported on his back was clear as day, and twice as painful.

Dean's gaze shifted towards the rearview and he sent up a prayer of thanks for Catherine. She was the only reason, Sam wasn't dead. Her quick thinking and even quicker reflexes had allowed her to take out the possessed man, that had been hell bent on kicking Sam to death. Dean had been unable to protect Sam; he had been too busy performing CPR on the possessed man's latest victim.

Dean rubbed his eyes again, and gave a soft sigh. Man, he was tired, they had spent a week, trailing a man named Chris Straw. He had be had been possessed by a lower level demon. The demon had been hell bent, on destroying as many lives as possible, in a small amount of time. Like the teenage boy Dean had performed CPR on.

Straw had managed to steal a car from an elderly couple, and two minutes later hit the teenage boy, who had been walking along a sidewalk. The hunters had been following Straw hoping to catch, and hold him until they could exorcise him. They had been following the bastard, when he had hit the young man. Dean had quickly moved towards the boy's side, while Sam and Catherine had moved to intercept, and stop Straw.

Straw had managed to get Sam down; the younger hunter was unable to get to his feet, and was barely managing to keep his arms up to protect his head and face. Catherine had stepped forward pulling out a tazer gun. Waiting for the right moment, she had distracted the killer, and stunned him. As he lay immobile for a moment, she had bound him with duct tape, and quickly read the exorcism, sending the demon back to hell.

Yup, Kingman, Arizona, fun town. Dean mentally added it to the list of towns he had no intention of ever visiting again. Returning his eyes to the dark highway before him, he briefly wondered whether there would be a town left in the states that he wanted to visit, once he was done hunting. Oh well, drinking tequila on some sunny island in the Caribbean always held promise.

As Dean drove he found himself nodding off again, reaching out, he turned the music up slightly. As his gaze once more returned to his rearview, he noticed Catherine's bright blue eyes shining up at him.

Catherine met Dean's eyes in the rearview; he looked exhausted. It was good they were going to take a break for a bit. She nodded to herself, yeah they all needed to recharge. And really, Dean was right, what better place to take a little vacation than Vegas. Yep, it would do all three of them some good.

As Catherine met Dean's eyes once again, she gave him her sexiest grin. She began humming the Barry White song 'Can't Get Enough of Your Love Baby', in her mind. She watched as Dean's face flushed slightly, and his eyes suddenly held enough heat to burn her in her seat. She merely laughed instead, and leaned forward she breathing softly against his ear. She stayed like that for a moment, content to breathe in his scent, and bask in his presence.

Catherine didn't know what she had done in a former life to deserve this man. The only thing she knew, was that it must have been something good, really, really good. She leaned slightly closer and said "Hey, big fella how about pulling over, and giving me a chance to drive."

Dean felt like he was on fire, as the strains of Barry White drifted through his mind. It wasn't often that he and Catherine spent time alone. They both understood that it was dangerous for the three of them to be separated. Both Sam and Catherine, were on the yellow eyed demon's hit list due to their special abilities.

In the year that they had been hunting together, they had managed to stay relatively safe just by sticking close to each other. The three hunters complemented each other, while one held caution, the second was gung-ho and the third brought balance. Their roles each changed, depending on the situation, and that worked also.

However, it had been three long weeks since Catherine and Dean had been able to really be together. Dean glanced again at Catherine, smelling the unique scent of limes and coconut that she liked to wear. The scent always reminded him of the beach, a blue ocean, and tequila. Yeah Dean thought it had been long, too long.

Dean began pulling onto the shoulder, happy to allow someone else to drive for a while. He glanced at Sam, and noticed that his brother was groggily rubbing his eyes. "Hey, Sam, jump in the back seat we're doing a driver switch. It's your turn to stretch out."

Sam noticed that Catherine was pulling on her boots, and climbing out of the Impala to stand alongside the driver's side door. "Dean, you take the back seat. You haven't slept yet. I can keep Catherine company."

Dean noted the dark shadows around Sam's eyes, and shook his head. Deciding that Sam needed the sleep more than himself, he said, the one thing he knew would get his baby brother settled in the back seat. "Nope, Sam you need to sleep, you look like shit. Besides, Katie's humming Barry. and you know I don't stand a chance in hell of sleeping with that running through my head." Dean grinned, at the look on Sam's face.

Dean had once confessed to his younger brother, just what it signified when Catherine was in a Barry White kind of mood. "Aw Dude, come on too much information. You really need to keep some things to yourself." Sam said, as he opened the passenger door, and made for the rear door.

Sam grinned to himself as he settled onto the back seat, pulling the blanket that Catherine had been using over himself. As much as he pretended to complain, Sam was happy for Dean and Catherine. The two of them shared something really special; they deserved every bit of joy they could squeeze out of life. Yeah, Dean's Katie was a blessing in disguise.

It had been Catherine that had pulled Dean out of the abyss he was in when their father had died. And it had been Catherine, that had reminded Sam of what living really meant. Not just going through the motions, but really living. Yeah Sam thought, as he drifted off to sleep, Catherine had filled the Winchesters lives with something other than despair. She had become their bright light at the end of a dark tunnel.

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Dean watched as Catherine settled herself at the wheel. He smiled as she sat for a moment running her hand over the steering wheel. For a moment, he could have sworn that she'd said something to the big, black classic car.

One of the only reasons he allowed her to drive the machine, was that she was equally in love with it. While staying at Bobby's, after their father's death, Catherine had actually helped to rebuild the Impala. Dean smiled back at the memory, that time spent at Bobby's, was when he had fallen in love with the beautiful hunter.

As Dean settled back, and Catherine began pulling back out on the highway, he watched Catherine from half closed eyes. His tired eyes ran over her face. Her blue eyes, wide mouth, and strong chin made her look exotic; her long hair was pulled back from her face, allowing him to really study her features.

It was then, he realized that Catherine had changed, in the past few weeks. Her constant tan seemed faded, and her eyes were rimmed with dark circles. He also noticed her face seemed thinner, he quickly thought back to the last time he had seen her eat with any kind of enthusiasm.

Dean frowned, and racked his memory. It had to be at least two months ago, they had stopped at a pizza place back in Philadelphia. He could remember teasing Catherine about eating more slices than him. She had simply grinned, and made a smart ass remark. Yeah, that had defiantly been the last time, before the fevers.

Catherine looked over at Dean, and noticed his eyes were at half-mast. She lifted her hand, and gently smoothed his forehead. Running her hand lightly down his face, she watched, as his eyes drifted shut.

As Dean felt Catherine's hands, he finally let go. Drifting off to sleep, his last thought, was that he was going to have to watch her closer.


	2. Chapter 2

Las Vegas, Catherine shook her head at the sights around her. She had come to love this city. As her ability to locate things she wanted, or needed had developed, she'd learned that this city, and its counterpart, Atlantic City, were even better than an ATM machine.

Almost three years ago, Catherine had developed the power to find things. People, the supernatural, hell, if she dropped an earring in a haystack she could find it without breaking a sweat. She simply concentrated on what she needed, and followed her instincts. She was invariably led to whatever she was looking for.

Over time, she had realized that she could reverse the power, if she wanted lead someone to her. She had done it with Dean when she first met him. She had begun by humming in the back of his mind; he was then able to use the sound as a locator. The louder the sound, the closer she was, and vice versa. Catherine smiled softly as she remembered the first time she had heard Sam refer to her power as 'lojacking'. She had given the two hunters a ration of shit when she had heard the term, but now used it herself.

Catherine had first used the power on Dean after two serial killers had kidnapped her, intent on sacrificing her. Catherine had used her power, to draw Sam and Dean towards her. They had, in turn, saved her life. Ever since, as she and Dean, had become closer she found she was unable to stop the connection. It was comforting to know that even when distance separated them, they could still communicate. Even in the smallest sense of the word.

Plus, it had its added benefits, thought Catherine, as she began humming the words to 'Can't Get Enough of Your Love Baby' in the back of her mind. Catherine laughed aloud, as she felt a pair of green eyes move to stare at her. As Catherine pulled up to a red light, she felt Dean's strong hand slid around neck, and pull her towards him. As they lingered over a soft good morning kiss, Catherine heard Sam clear his throat in the back seat. Catherine pulled back, and grinned at Sam over her shoulder. "Come on now _Sammy_, we'll be at Hannah's soon enough."

Sam flushed slightly at Catherine's teasing look, and replied, "We'd be there by now, _Katie_ if you could keep in mind that green means go." Sam smiled at Catherine's startled reaction. As Catherine continued driving down the strip, Sam allowed his mind to wander. Hannah, Sam thought, now that he was about to see her he realized just how much he had missed her.

Catherine had introduced the Winchesters to Hannah about seven months ago. Sam and she had hit it off right away, sometimes Sam wondered if Catherine hadn't planned it that way.

Catherine was like that, she would do some seemingly random thing, but it would end up having wide spread repercussions. Actually, when he really thought about it he realized that Dean was the same way. It was as if they could see things from every angle, analyze and process the information and make a decision in a split second.

Hannah ran a boarding house in Las Vegas, Catherine, and the Winchesters had stayed there the last four times they had been in the area. Hannah knew they were hunters and was always happy to help in any way possible. Sam watched as Catherine navigated the car into the parking lot of the Sunset Hotel. He watched as a slim figure came to the screen door, a hand shading her eyes.

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Hannah felt a fissure of excitement run through her as she heard the distinctive sound of the Winchester's car. Thoughts of Sam suddenly swarmed through her mind, his tall lean body, soft smile, his large hands, and gentle ways. God, thought Hannah how she had missed him.

She stood before the door, and watched his tall frame angle out of the back seat. She noted Dean and Catherine move towards the trunk of the big car, pulling out bags. Sam, however, simply moved towards Hannah, his pace steady his smile wide and genuine.

As he came closer, Hannah opened the door welcoming him. He moved into the room, and swept her up into a big bear hug. Hannah simply wrapped her arms around him holding tight, trying to quell the hope that this time he was able to stay more than a couple of days.

Sam pulled Hannah towards him inhaling the warm scent, and feel of her small body against his. Sam finally pulled back, and studied the young woman before him. She was a year older than Sam; her hair was so blond it could be called white. Her eyes were large and green, her nose small, with a slight uplift at the end. Sam could see the smattering of freckles that ran across her nose. Small in stature she barely came up to Sam's shoulder, in terms of personality she was outgoing and smart.

"Hey Sam" Hannah said, as Sam pulled back releasing her. Hannah moved to open the screen door for Catherine, trying to hide the hope in her eyes. She didn't want Catherine to realize just how much Sam had come to mean to her.

Hannah's head knew how important it was that the Winchesters and Catherine keep hunting, sometimes though her heart didn't agree. When that happened it was everything, she could do to stand by, and watch Sam leave, no strings attached.

Hannah knew in her heart that if Sam had any inking of just how much she cared for him he wouldn't come back. He didn't want her involved in his life any more than she already was. Hannah was willing to play the game; Hannah was willing to play any game to stay a part of Sam's life. Anything was better than nothing.

"Hey, guys I'm so glad to see you. You should have called. I would have had a meal ready." Hannah stood next to Sam, and tried to tamper the excitement she felt at the handsome hunter's return.

Hannah noticed that Dean seemed overly fidgety. A couple of times he seemed to actually close his eyes, muttering under his breath. Hannah snuck a quick glance at Catherine, and noted that the female hunter's predatory gaze was focused completely on Dean. Hannah turned to Sam with a question in her gaze; she noted his slight flush, and the shrug of his shoulders. The petite blond turned her gaze back towards the other hunters, and suddenly realized what was going on.

"Uh, Dean, Catherine you guys get the back room, if you want you can drop you're gear back there." Hannah couldn't help but laugh as Dean suddenly dropped a kiss on her forehead, grabbed Catherine's hand, and headed off to the room they had shared in the past.

Hannah shared an embarrassed grin with Sam as Catherine dug in her feet at the last moment. Turning toward Sam and Hannah she said, "Sam, lojack's on." With that she moved so fast she was practically dragging Dean behind her.

"Hannah, I'm really sorry, they, I mean you know it's been hard. Life on the road and all, I just, um. Where do you want me to put my stuff?" Sam asked, at this point he was staring so hard at the toes of his boots that Hannah was surprised they weren't on fire.

Hannah let out another merry laugh, and moved through the back door, heading into Hannah's private living space. "Come on back, Sam, you can leave your things in the same room you used before." Hannah had learned that with Sam she was better off, waiting for him to make the first move. It might take a little while, but it made for a much more relaxed Sam.

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As Sam moved into the bedroom, Hannah had indicated, he busied himself putting his belongings away. He was still a bit embarrassed by Catherine and Dean's behavior, although he really couldn't blame them, the moments they spent alone were few, and far between.

He smiled when he noticed that Hannah was leaning in the door frame. He was content for a moment just to look at her; he spared a quick prayer that her involvement with the Hunters wouldn't end in her getting hurt. He looked away for a moment, and vowed that he wouldn't become too entangled with her.

He turned his attention back towards her, and said, "I haven't eaten yet, are you hungry?" He moved towards her, and stopped only when he was close enough to smell the flowery scent of the perfume she wore.

Hannah looked up into Sam's eyes, and smiled freely. "Food sounds great, do you think we should wait for your brother and Catherine?"

Sam rolled his eyes and smiled. "No, I think if we wait for them we're liable to starve to death." He gestured with his arm following Hannah towards the parking lot. He rolled his shoulders gently, and moved to open Hannah's car door for her. As he moved towards the driver side intending to drive, he looked back towards the hotel once more.

Although, Sam couldn't feel anything he knew that Catherine would be keeping track of him while he was away from the hotel. As long as he stayed close, he knew he wouldn't worry her, or Dean too much.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean lay relaxing on the bed; Catherine's soft weight lay across his chest her legs tangled with his. He had one hand buried in her scalp, and he was running his hand through her long hair. He could practically hear her purring with contentment. He smiled smugly, and said, "We definitely have to take a vacation more often."

Catherine didn't even bother moving, she was so comfortable at the moment. Besides, she knew if she looked up she'd see Dean's smug grin. Catherine bit back a smug grin herself, who was he kidding, Catherine had always given as good as she got. She simply said, "Yup, definitely."

Catherine felt Dean shift slightly. "He's fine, Dean." Catherine allowed herself to concentrate on the small bundle of vibrations in the back of her mind. "He's about a block, block and half away. He went there straight from here, about an hour ago. Hasn't moved since"

Dean felt himself relax once more, and moved to take Catherine more fully into his arms. "Well then, I'm guessing that gives us about a half hour more. Any guesses as to how we could best utilize that time?" Dean said, smiling into Catherine's laughing eyes.

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Dean lay sprawled on the bed, his head hanging down the side, and tried to get his breathing under control. He was vainly trying to focus when Catherine shot out of the bed, and into the adjoining bathroom. Dean grabbed the nearest blanket just as a knock sounded at the door. Dean saw the door open part way, and a hand holding a large, brown, paper bag came into view. Dean barked a laugh and said, "You might as well, come in, Sammy, you already scared her off."

Sam entered the room cautiously, and held out the lunch bag to Dean. "Sorry, I just figured you guys had to come up for air eventually, and that you'd be hungry." Dean reached out, and grabbed the bag from Sam. Sam watched as Dean quickly located the sandwich, and began eating. Dean, mouth full of sandwich said, "Ah, Sammy, I owe you one." Sam set the six pack of soda down on the bedside table, and moved to leave, a grin on his face.

"Sam" Dean called out, with a mouthful. Sam turned, and saw Dean's sly grin, his eyebrows wiggling. "What'cha gonna do now?"

Sam simply glared in Dean's direction, and left. God, Sam thought to himself, Dean had the maturity level of a sixteen year old. Like Sam couldn't manage to control himself.

Sam heard a slight noise coming from the room next to his, and moved towards the open door. There stood Hannah, standing on her bed, trying to change the light bulb in the overhead light. Hannah turned as Sam entered, and smiled a little. "Light just blew, but I can't even come close. Would you mind?" She asked, holding the bulb towards Sam.

Sam carefully slipped off his shoes, and moved to stand on the bed next to Hannah. "Yeah, no problem" he said, as he took the bulb from Hannah, and quickly changed it out with the blown one. Hannah had remained balanced on the bed, one hand lightly gripping Sam's arm. He looked down into her green eyes, and found himself lost.

Sam gently trailed a hand down the side of her face, he leaned in, and kissed her gently. At Hannah's encouraging sigh, Sam gathered her more completely against him, and kissed her again.

As Hannah wrapped her arms around the tall, handsome man, she allowed herself a small grin, and thought, what a good thing it was that Sam hadn't tried the light before replacing a perfectly good bulb.

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Dean made his way into the kitchen noting Hannah's closed bedroom door. He grinned to himself, and added yet another small hope that Sam would someday be able to lead a normal life. Well, as normal as possible.

Dean moved towards the refrigerator hoping to find something to tempt Catherine into eating. She'd barely touched the food that Sam had brought back from the diner. She had simply sat back against the headboard sipping a coke, and pulling apart the salad that Sam had included for her. Dean was hoping that he could scramble Catherine a couple eggs, and make some toast before she got out of the shower. He knew that she wouldn't turn away the food if she knew he had gone to the trouble of preparing it.

Dean was quickly gathering the necessary items when he sensed someone behind him. Knowing that it wasn't Catherine, he turned quickly. He relaxed slightly as he saw Hannah enter the room. He threw her a quick grin and said, "Sorry for commandeering the kitchen I was just going to make a little something."

Hannah watched the elder Winchester move about the kitchen. He had a way of moving with an economy of motion. She could see the danger bottled up inside him even now while he was obviously at ease. Hannah shivered slightly; Dean was simply too much for her taste. She sometime wondered how, Catherine survived the energy that seemed to pour from the elder brother.

Then again, Hannah smiled to herself if anyone could survive it would be Catherine. Hannah didn't know much about the beautiful hunter, but she had seen enough to know that Catherine had been born hard. She had a single mindedness that was in itself scary.

Dean sent a glance at the pretty blond sitting at the table. He quickly poured her a cup of coffee, he had made moments before, and set it down before her. He noticed she shied away slightly when he moved towards her. Dean had noticed that about her before, she was timid around Dean, and only seemed relaxed if Sam was near. "Sammy, still sleeping?" Dean questioned, as he expertly cracked a couple of eggs in a bowl.

Hannah blushed slightly, listing yet another reason Sam's older brother bothered her. "Yeah, he seemed pretty wiped."

Dean grinned and answered, "I'll bet." Dean saw Hannah blush again, and sighed. He knew he had better move toward a safer subject. "Catherine, hasn't been eating well lately; I just thought I'd make her something before we left."

Hannah sat forward frowning, panic creeping into her voice. "Leaving, you're leaving?"

Dean took pity on the young girl and said, "No, we're going to stay a couple of days if that's okay? I just meant that Catherine, and I are heading out to the casinos." Dean said, swiftly sliding the egg mixture into a hot frying pan.

Hannah felt herself relax slightly, and thought about what Dean had said earlier. "I'd say Catherine hasn't been eating at all." Hannah said, not really thinking about her words. "She looks like crap. I don't think I've ever seen her this thin. Maybe it's from the fever."

Dean crossed the room to Hannah in a moment; he dropped quickly down on one knee, and asked, "What do you know about the fever? Did she talk to you? What did she say?" The anxiety in his eyes caused Hannah to lean away from him slightly.

Hannah cursed her loose tongue, and smiled at Dean trying to convey a measure of calm. In the face of his often flippant attitude she sometimes forgot just how protective he was of Sam, and Catherine. "No, Dean I just noticed she seemed thinner is all. And Sam told me about the fever. I haven't spoken to Catherine since the last time you were all here."

Dean stood suddenly, and moved back towards the stove. "Sorry Hannah, I didn't mean to jump on you, I just." Dean sighed softly. "I'm just worried it will happen again. Did Sam tell you how bad she was?" He watched Hannah nod.

"One minute she was fine, we had just finished a job in upstate New York. It had been pretty nasty, but we we're all okay. We came back to the hotel, I jumped into the shower, and when I came out she was all but unconscious. Her skin was so hot to the touch; I still have trouble believing it. I actually, put her in a tub full of ice, and we still couldn't get it down. The next morning I ran her to the emergency room. She was there for two days; the doctors never determined what was wrong. The fever simply disappeared." Dean deftly plated the eggs and set it aside.

Dean stood at the sink slowly cleaning the dishes he had used. He remembered the long hours he'd spent laying next to her in the hospital bed, holding her, asking her to stay with him to hold on. "The fevers came two more times. The second was about a week after she had been released from the hospital. That had been mild by comparison though, a run of Tylenol, and she was on her feet again. And the third time, I wouldn't even have noticed if not for seeing her take some Tylenol."

In Dean's mind though what really worried him was the weekend she took off. They had moved on from New York, and were in Pennsylvania, trying to destroy a golem that had been created to steal from convenience stores. Dean and Sam had left Catherine at the hotel to do some research, when they had returned there was a note on Catherine's pillow. It had simply said that she was going to visit Bobby, and would meet up with them by Monday.

Dean had been frantic, that the note was some kind of ruse. That she had been taken by something. It had taken Sam twenty minutes to convince Dean not to rush headlong out the door to search for her.

Instead Dean had called her, she had answered on the first ring. She quickly explained that she simply missed Bobby, and wanted to see him. She went on to say that the boys could handle the golem on their own, and didn't need her for this one. She had hung up promising that she would call the next day, and she had.

That call was when Dean had realized something was seriously wrong. He had missed her call, and she ended up leaving a message saying that she had reached Bobby's place, Dean had listened to it at least four times. It had been the final time that he had realized that she wasn't where she had said she was. While listening to the message Dean had distinctly heard highway noise. Bobby's place was about as far from a highway as it was possible to get. There was no way she was calling from his house as she had said.

It was at this point when Dean had also realized that he couldn't hear Catherine any more. Oh, she was still there, in the back of his mind. He just couldn't focus on the noise; it was just a muted buzz, nothing to let him know where she might be. There was no other explanation for it, Catherine was blocking him. Keeping him from knowing where she was.

Dean had been so upset he hadn't even told Sam, he'd just waited, hoping that she would indeed be back. He didn't know what he would do otherwise. And she had, Monday morning just as promised. Catherine had seemed so much like her old self that Dean had managed to convince himself that he had imagined everything.

But now Dean wondered if he should have confronted her at the time. He finished up the dishes, and stepped back, giving Hannah an almost startled look. He had forgotten she was there, as he set about searching for something to say, he looked up with relief as Catherine entered the kitchen.

Catherine was towel drying her hair as she stepped into the kitchen; she quickly noticed the guilty glance that Hannah had shot towards Dean. Catherine frowned at the younger blond woman, holding her gaze she stared at Hannah until the younger girl lowered her eyes.

Catherine turned towards Dean, and casually leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. She smiled as he drew her into his arms, and said "Boy, have I got something for you." Catherine felt a shiver as he lightly trailed his lips along her neck.

Dean waited until Catherine's eyes slipped close, and she relaxed in his arms before he reached behind, and grabbed the meal he had made. "Here" he said, pulling away. "Sit and eat I'm going to grab a shower." Dean set the plate down on the table and guided Catherine into a seat. Dropping a kiss on her head he headed out the kitchen door.

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Catherine stared after Dean with a bemused smile on her face. Leave it to Dean to try, and seduce her into eating. She stared down at the plate, and realized just how much trouble he had gone to for her. The eggs were light, and fluffy. And he had even buttered her toast, and made her a coffee. She smiled sadly, and resigned herself to eating at least half of the food on the plate. As she began, she glanced up, and caught Hannah's eyes.

Hm... Thought Catherine, she leaned back in her chair, and said, "What were you and Dean talking about?" Catherine forced another bite of her meal down.

Hannah looked at the hard woman sitting across from her, Catherine was wearing a pair of jeans, and a simple tee-shirt. Her feet were bare, and her long hair hung down her back. Hannah knew in her mind she had very little reason to be intimidated by Catherine. Hannah's heart on the other hand knew better. "Nothing really, he was telling me that you guys were going out, that's it?"

Catherine stared for a minute at Hannah, before dismissing the girls answer. "You know right, what I would do if I had any reason to doubt you? Right?" Catherine continued to stare at the younger girl.

Hannah nodded, and stood. "I promised once Catherine. I keep my promises I would never do anything to endanger either of them." Hannah watched as Catherine nodded, and picked up the plate she had been eating from.

Catherine moved towards the sink's garbage disposal, and dumped the rest of her food down the drain. She turned towards Hannah, her face once again friendly. "Good, Good I really do think you're good for Sam. I'm glad he has you." Catherine said, over her shoulder as she headed back to the room.

Hannah watched her leave, and felt a small shudder of fear crawl up her spine. She found herself pitying the thing that thought to hurt either Sam or Dean.


	4. Chapter 4

Dean and Catherine entered the darkened building, a cacophony of sound hit them like a wave. The two hunters shared a grin. Catherine moved forward enjoying the sound and smell of the casino. As Dean's hand came to rest lightly on her back, she felt herself relax for the first time in months. Throwing a smile over her shoulder, she moved, intending to make her way into the room. As she began to move, a strong arm wrapped itself around her middle, drawing her back against a solid chest.

"I'm going to find a poker game." Dean whispered, against her neck.

Catherine turned, and wrapped her arms around Dean, leaning up she kissed him, soundly. "I'm going to make us some money." Catherine let go, watching Dean walk away with a nod and a wave, she felt a sudden foreboding. She stood a minute longer, watching as Dean was swallowed up by the crowd. Finally, she shook off the feeling, and went to hit the slot machines.

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Sam awoke slowly, stretching carefully. His back was still sore and the previous hours activities hadn't helped.

"Hey, you awake?"

Sam looked toward Hannah as she moved into the room. Sam grinned, and held his arms open.

Hannah smiled, and eagerly moved toward Sam. She crawled onto the bed, and lay sprawled against Sam's warm body. "Catherine and Dean went to the Nugget; they said to meet them later if you feel like it." Hannah answered, Sam before he had a chance to ask. "Oh, and she said to tell you, the lojack is on? I can't believe Dean would install lojack in that old car, he's really paranoid."

Sam grinned to himself and answered, "Yup, paranoid describes Dean pretty well. So did you want to meet them or..." Sam leaned down, and kissed Hannah swiftly "did you want to stay here?"

Hannah grinned herself and said, "Hell, I live here, I can go to the nugget any old time." Hannah returned Sam's kiss, and smiled at the unexpected pleasure of having Sam to herself for the next couple of hours.

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Dean sat at the table watching the other players carefully; he grinned, and leaned back in his chair. All cocky confidence and attitude, he knew that his age combined with his attitude made him seem like an easy mark to the other players. That was just fine with him; he had been working the table hard for the last couple of hours. He needed to lose enough that the players around him were willing to keep playing, but, he also needed to win enough that he stayed in the game.

He was ready now, though, to make his move. The pot in front of him was around three thousand. That would last for a bit he thought to himself; he looked up with a grin as Sherry, the waitress, set another beer by his elbow. She had been shooting him looks all night, he handed her a couple chips, and shot her a look of dismissal. He watched as she frowned slightly, and moved on to one of the other players.

As the hand finished, and Dean began raking in his winnings, he smiled to himself. In the back of his mind he could hear Catherine humming 'Luck Be A Lady Tonight'. Dean grinned even broader, and stood intending to find the beautiful hunter and celebrate.

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Catherine had been on the move for the last couple of hours. She had a plastic cup full of quarter, and was randomly playing slot machines. She loved playing, and she often blocked out her gift and played simply for the fun of it.

Dean, however, was on the move and heading toward her. She knew it was time for the jackpot. Catherine blocked out all the noise and distractions around her. Focusing her thoughts on one item, the one thing she wanted most at this moment. She began moving, not really seeing the machines, just randomly moving. It was then she began to feel a pull toward the corner of the room. Aproaching the machine, she noted the progressive jackpot number scrolling on the front.

Great, she thought with a grin. The progressive machines always hit for the highest. She carefully sat on the seat, and put a couple dollars worth of quarters in. As she pulled the lever on the side of the machine, it erupted in a symphony of lights and sound. Catherine grinned, and waited for the display to show her winnings. The scrolling screne flashed the words Jackpot, her win totaled over five thousand dollars. She grinned, and whooped, beat that Dean, she thought with a smug smile.

Dean was making his way toward the slot machines when he heard one of the machines go crazy. He grinned to himself, and headed for the area where the noise was coming from. As he got closer, he couldn't see the winner standing at the heart of the surrounding crowd, but, he knew who it was. He laughed, and veered off toward the bar. Might as well have a drink, he figured, he knew from experience just how long it took the casino to settle up.

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Catherine sighed happily, as the cashier in front of her cashed out the money she had won. She swiftly added it to the meager amount in her battered wallet. She turned, intending to find Dean, when a mountain of a man stepped in front of her.

Catherine actually backed up a couple of steps in surprise. She looked up and up and up, before finally reaching the man's face. He was wearing a suit, and was obviously security for the casino. He was huge, no other way to describe him. He had to be at least as tall as Sam, but that's where the similarities ended. Where Sam was lean and sculpted, this man was a solid block. He put Catherine in mind of a pro-wrestler.

"Hi, did you need something?" Catherine asked, her most innocent smile firmly in place. She had little doubt she could talk her way out of whatever the problem was.

"Miss, I need you to step over to the security desk for a moment." The Mountain, motioned toward a hallway, above the hall was a sign reading, employees only.

Catherine was half tempted to put up a fuss, but before she could make a decision, another security guard, only slightly smaller than the first, was approaching from her other side. She nodded, and turned her smile up another notch.

As she followed behind the Mountain, she felt Tiny, move up behind her, effectively cutting off her only avenue of escape. As they approached the double doors, Catherine tamped down the panic that was beginning to rise within her.

The Mountain moved forward, and pushed the doors open. He turned, and ushered her into the hallway beyond. As Catherine moved forward she cautiously asked, "Hey, guys, what's up?"

The Mountain simply kept moving down the hallway, Tiny replied, "We just need to ask you a few questions."

Catherine felt a sudden spike of fear. She'd warned Dean not to come, after all, Casino's were one of the most video tapped places in the world. With his record, he was a marked man, as far as law enforcement went. She struggled to maintain a calm facade as she entered another set of doors marked security.

Knowing she needed to warn Dean, she began silently began humming. So focused on warning Dean, she never saw the man standing to left of the door she entered.

Not expecting the blow, she went down hard, hitting the tile floor with a groan. She tried scrambling to her feet, but was stopped by a kick to the stomach.

"The boss said, she'd be tough. What a joke."

Catherine slowly gathered herself, careful not to alert the two men.

As Tiny leaned over her, his intention to haul Cahterine to her feet, she struck. Launching to her feet, Catherine moved. Catching Tiny off balance she took advantage with a kick, hitting the man with a solid blow to the groin. Predictably, he bent over intent on protecting himself from another shot. Catherine anticipated his move, bringing her knee straight up, she heard a satisfying crunch as her knee conected with his nose. Tiny dropped like a stone.

Catherine spun, punching low, she hit the Mountain in his stomach. The big man grunted, but countered with a slap across Catherine's face. The blow, threw Catherine across the room, her back connecting with a desk.

As the Mountain approached, Catherine struggled to catch her breath. While she readied herself she took a moment to feel for Sam and Dean. Dean was on the move, for a moment, her heart pounded in panic, as she felt him coming closer. A moment later, she felt him move away, toward what she thought was the exit. Sam however, was on the move.

She cried out as the Mountain reached her side, and hit her with a kick to the ribs. Sam, she thought, as she struggled to hold onto consciousness, Sam was moving away from the nugget. He knew better than to move away from her. That left only one excuse, Sam was being taken against his will.

Finally, unable to get up, Catherine hit the floor. As she lay her cheek pressed against the cold tile floor, a voice said, "Stop, it would be better if she didn't pass out completely. I'm not sure how her power works. We need her to lead him towards us; it's the soldier we want."

The Mountain answered, his voice devoid of emotion, "Yes, Mr. Williams."

Catherine pried her eyes open, and stared up at the man above her. He was slim and short, his hair black, except at his temples where a touch of grey showed. As her gaze met his own, she saw that his eyes were consumed by black.

Looking up into the eyes of the possessed man, she forced a laugh. "You don't actually think, I'm stupid enough to lead him to you."

The Suit leaned down. "Oh, you'll call him. I'm betting on it. You may be the First and therefore unkillable, however, that leaves a lot of wiggle room." The man stood up straight, drew back a foot, and kicked Catherine in the face. "Now, call him."

Catherine felt the pain all the way to her toes; she knew though, no physical pain would equal the pain of leading Dean into a trap. Unable to respond with a comeback she simply laughed into the angry face of the demon before her.

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Dean sat at the bar nursing a beer waiting for Catherine to find him. He'd been there for little less than fifteen minutes, when he realized her song had changed. He could now hear the theme to the movie, Jaws playing over and over again.

He knew what it meant, someone was making Catherine nervous. It meant for caution on his part. Leaving his seat, he began making the rounds, trying to find Catherine.

As he closed the distance between her and him, he heard the song change. Styx's 'Renegade' was now blaring in his head, he hesitated for a moment before moving toward the Casino exit. Paused on the threshold he forced himself through the doors and out to the car.

At Catherine's insistance, they had worked out a code months ago. Being wanted by the FBI, made him a liability to both Sam and Catherine, who had clean records. He'd finally and with great reluctance agreed that he would go to ground, if there was any chance he could be caught.

He exited the casino, and headed for the Impala, he knew that Catherine would make her way back to Hannah's as soon as possible. Heart hammering, Dean hoped she was okay.

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Catherine could no longer move, not even her fingers would respond to her command. She smiled grimly to herself; she knew that Dean was no longer in the area. He had done as she expected, and headed for Hannah's.

Williams glanced down at the woman on the floor. He had noted the smile a moment ago, and found himself suddenly nervous. This wasn't what was supposed to happen, she was supposed to call the older Winchester to her, and his men would trap him and bring them both to the warehouse.

Williams made a decision. "Throw her into the car; we'll take her to the other one. She's bound to call out to him then."

Catherine felt herself hauled to her feet and dragged outside. It was then that she allowed herself to slip into the black hole that waited to consume her.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam awoke to pain and darkness, not for the first time he wondered just how often a person could be concussed, before suffering brain damage. Ha, that's probably why he still did this job, brain damage.

Sam moved cautiously and tried to get his bearings. The room was pitch black, the floor beneath him was some type of carpet. He began moving slowly feeling his way in the dark, trying to locate the nearest wall. He found a foot instead.

Sam wrapped his hand gently around the leg, feeling his way up slowly. At first he had thought it was Hannah, now though he could smell the light citrus smell of the woman beside him. As Sam felt for Catherine's face a stab of fear went through him. Where was Dean? And how had they managed to get Catherine?

Sam lifted Catherine's head gently and rested it on his knees. Although he couldn't see he could feel the wetness on her face, she was bleeding. Sam spoke softly to her, trying to get her to open her eyes.

"Katie, come on, Katie girl. Open those baby blues. Come on, Katie."

Catherine could hear a voice calling out to her. She resisted though, she hurt, every inch of her screamed in pain. She had felt pain in the past but nothing as absolute as this, she just wanted to let go, to go back to the dark. The voice kept at her though, nagging her over and over again. Then something the voice said registered in her mind. "Where's Dean?" The voice asked, over and over again.

Catherine opened her eyes and immediately recognized Sammy's soft voice. Catherine tried to say something, but was unable to get the words past her throat. She shifted slightly and tried again. "Sam, where are we? Where's Hannah, how did they get you?"

Sam was shocked at the whispered croak that came out of Catherine. He gently ran a hand down the side of her face, as he answered, "I have no idea where we are. Last time I saw Hannah was at her place. I'm not sure what happened to her. And basically I'm here because they hit me over the head with something big. Catherine where's Dean?" Sam asked, trying not to let the panic he was feeling into his voice.

Catherine closed her eyes, and gave Sam a slight grin. Not that he could see it. "Dean's fine, I'm sure he's at Hannah's by now"

Sam shook his head. "Catherine, if he knows you've been taken why isn't he here yet?" Sam moved to help Catherine into a sitting position.

"I blocked him Sam, he can't track us. I'm hoping it will give us enough time to get out of here on our own. The demon that captured us, he wants Dean. I have no intention of letting the bastard get him." Catherine bit back a cry, as Sam helped her sit up. She sat head down, as she fought off a wave of nausea.

Sam shook his head in confusion. "Demon? How do you know its plans? Is it the Yellow Eyed Demon?" Sam moved toward Catherine, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, supporting her against his side.

Catherine felt Sam's arm move around her shoulders and was happy to lean into him. She felt his warmth seep into her side. "Not the Big Guy, some lesser Demon. Maybe one of his kids, I'm not really sure. I only got bits and pieces as they beat the crap out of me. He did say specifically, he wanted me to lead Dean to us."

"How did you block Dean, Catherine? I thought that you couldn't." Sam asked, confusion evident in his voice.

Catherine answered Sam carefully, "I recently figured out how Sam. Now, we need to figure out a way to save ourselves before either Dean or those bastards find us." Catherine began struggling to get to her feet, hoping that Sam would stop questioning her.

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Dean parked the Impala about three blocks from Hannah's and began moving toward the young girl's boarding house. As he moved across the properties, never more than a shadow of movement, he began to panic. Catherine was blocking him again. He knew she was alive but he was unable to follow the signal to find her. That didn't bode well; he knew she was stopping him for a reason. He only hoped that Sam would be able to help him figure out what the reason was.

As he approached the house,he noticed that the lights were off. He moved toward the back door and noticed that it was swinging wide open in the dark. He entered the house expecting to see it ransacked. Instead all looked well, everything except for the fact that his baby brother was no where to be seen.

"Damnit Sammy, where are you?" Dean said, as he moved toward the front desk where Hannah regularly checked people in. That's when he saw her; one slim foot peeked out from behind the desk.

Dean slid to his knees besides the young blond girl. "Hannah, come on Hannah. I need you to wake up." Dean gently ran his hands over her head, finding a knot just behind her right ear, he winced in sympathy.

Hannah could hear the rough voice calling out to her. Her first thoughts went to Sam, but whoever it was didn't have Sam's gentle touch. And the voice sounded wrong, now that she thought about it. She began struggling trying to move away from the unfamiliar man.

"Hannah, come on it's me. Dean, open your eyes, Hannah. Look at me." Dean said, raising his voice in frustration.

Hannah heard the aggravated tone and responded to it, she opened one eye slowly and saw Dean leaning towards her an intense look on his face. Hannah put a hand to her head and said, "Dean, where's Sam what happened?"

Dean snorted in frustration, thanking the gods that Catherine was never this slow on the uptake. He closed his eyes and hoped for patience. "I don't know what happened, Hannah; I was hoping you could tell me?"

Hannah sat a moment more, trying not to look directly at the frustrated man before her. It didn't help that normally she felt nervous around him, and in a situation like this she actually felt afraid. "I don't know Dean, the front desk bell rang. When I came out to see who it was, something hit me and that's the last thing I remember." She looked at Dean tears welling in her eyes.

Dean swore softly and helped the girl to her feet. "Okay, lets get you straightened out and then I'll find them."

Hannah looked at the determined man before her and felt a little better. Dean would find Sam, he wasn't a man made to fail.

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Sam paced the dark room, back and forth, ten paces exactly. He wanted to expand his pacing but was afraid of hitting something. Catherine sat along the wall, hugging her arms. "Sam, don't worry Hannah's fine I'm sure."

Sam turned towards Catherine hope in his voice "How, do you know? I mean your power?" Sam prayed that Catherine could tell him something concrete, something that would let him know that another woman he cared about hadn't died for him.

Catherine paused for a moment weighing her options, finally decision made she said, "Sam, I know because I know what Hannah's capable of. She's one of us Sam, one of the children. Her power is mind control; she's strong, really strong."

Sam whirled to face Catherine in the dark "What, why didn't you tell me. How can you have kept that a secret from me? I don't understand."

Catherine sighed and said, "I didn't tell you, Sam, because it wasn't my secret to tell. I wouldn't have said anything now, except I know how you feel about her."

Sam felt the pain of disappointment whip through him. Catherine had kept this from him; she hadn't trusted him enough to tell him. Sullenly he asked, "did you tell her about me? About what I am?"

Catherine was on her feet in a minute, she moved toward Sam's voice, reaching out she grabbed his shirt. Shaking him slightly she said, "I would never, never tell anyone about you, Sam. You have to believe me. Hannah doesn't even know about me. The only thing she knows is that we don't respond to her mind control. She just thinks we're different. Honestly, I think that's why she likes you so much, with you she can just be herself."

Sam pulled Catherine's hands from his chest, and moved away from her. She had no right, thought Sam, no right to keep something like that from him. He turned toward her and spat, "And what, now you can suddenly block Dean from finding you. What other secrets are you keeping, Catherine? You're just like my father, have you been keeping Dean on your need to know basis also. He trusts you, what other lies have you been telling us?"

Catherine once again moved toward Sam with the intention of fixing this. Sam was overreacting she knew she could calm him down if given the chance.

Catherine never got that chance. As she was moving toward the sound of Sam's voice, a loud bang sounded and her head whipped toward the square of light that was flooding the room.

"What's the matter, Sammy, your sweet little Kate lying to you. Get used to it, this girl can spin a web of lies quicker than you or your brother." Sam watched as a short thin man entered the room, followed by a hulk of a man.

Catherine spat at the man in front of her. "Shut your mouth, Williams. Lies are all that fall from your lips." Catherine quickly moved in front of Sam, hoping to draw attention from the young man she had sworn to protect above all others.

Sam got his first look at Catherine and wondered just how she was managing to stay on her feet. She was covered in blood, and the bruising around her throat suggested someone had tried to choke her to death. He swiftly turned his attention back to the men in front of him.

"What do you want with us?" Sam asked, eyeing the mountain of a man that stood slightly in front of this Williams.

"Want from you, why nothing, Sam, nothing at all. What I want I can only get from her. Though, so far she has refused to give in. I'm afraid I will have to try persuading her again." Williams motioned to the man beside him. The man moved forward his eyes focused warily on the female hunter.

Catherine actually smiled and beckoned the man forward. Sam quickly intervened, pulling Catherine behind him.

"Protecting her, Sam? Are you sure you want to do that? She's the reason you're here after all. She's the one that's putting your precious brother at risk." Williams stood smiling smugly.

Sam looked at the smiling man and then turned toward Catherine expecting denial to be written on her face. Instead he saw guilt move across her features. "Catherine, what's he talking about?"

"Nothing, Sam, demons lie you know that. I love you and Dean and would never willingly put you at risk. You have to know that Sam." Catherine looked up at the younger hunter and willed him to believe her.

Sam thought about what Catherine had said, his mind latching onto one word in particular. "Willingly Catherine?" Sam moved slightly away from her. Toward the far corner of the room, no longer certain of where the woman's loyalty laid.

Catherine held out her hand toward Sam and said, "Sam, no, okay. I did not do this. Listen to me, if I was out to hurt you or Dean I would have led him here. I've kept him safe and I intend to keep you safe regardless of what you believe." Catherine turned her attention toward the men in front of her.

As she stood, hands fisted at her sides head slightly lowered she smiled softly. "You think you've won? Is that it, you're figuring you can turn Sammy against me. Maybe you can." Catherine nodded slightly. "Yeah, maybe you can. It doesn't matter though, what you've forgotten, or maybe what you didn't know was that I would never hurt them. I'm standing in front of you, telling you that you might as well kill me know, because there is no punishment that can make me your pawn."

Catherine seemed to stand even taller; she lowered her voice to a whisper and continued, "Oh, and by the way. You haven't even begun to see what true power is."

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Dean quickly cleaned the cut on the back of Hannah's head, heaving a sigh of relief as he finished. Dean was happy that at least, she no longer jumped when he came near her. He was sick of seeing fear in her eyes; he didn't understand why she saw him as someone to be feared.

Hannah, sighed with relief as the hunter moved away from her. She was just barely able to keep from jumping every time he touched her. Ever since she had met the brothers she had feared Dean. She knew that all it would take is one word from Dean, and Sam would turn his back on her. She worried that when, if, her secret finally came out, it would be Dean that would force Sam out of her life. She knew the power that the older Winchester held over the younger.

Dean moved gathering his coat and keys preparing to leave. Hannah watched Dean and took a fortifying breath. "Dean, I want to come with you." Hannah said, in a rush, wincing as the older man swung towards her.

Dean grimaced at the flinch, and said, "Hannah, I don't have time to play babysitter. I have to get back to the casino and see if I can't track Catherine."

Hannah nodded straitening up trying to look stronger than she felt. "I know, I can help." She swallowed audibly and continued "I can control people's thoughts, make them answer questions they may not want to answer."

Dean turned his full attention toward the woman in front of him. "What do you mean you can control people's thoughts. Did Sam know? Catherine?"

Hannah suddenly crumpled slightly. "Catherine knew, she promised she would keep my secret. Sam didn't know." At this Hannah lifted her chin slightly. "I could have simply made you take me Dean, but I chose to tell you the truth instead."

Dean stalked up to the young girl, staring into her eyes. He finally nodded. "You can come, you do as I say, when I say. I swear to god, you try and put the whammy on me and it will be the last thing you do." With that he turned and left the room.


	6. Chapter 6

Dean entered the casino warily, Hannah by his side. He hated the fact that he was acting blindly, but some things just couldn't be helped. This was the last place Catherine had been, Dean could only hope that Sam was with her now.

As Dean moved into the casino his mind moved backward, back to the promise he had made Catherine swear. His stomach roiled at the thought of what that promise might mean, with both Catherine and Sam captured.

_Eight Months Ago, Florida_

Dean looked over at the sweaty, dirty woman next to him and grinned. He couldn't help it, even when she practically growled at him. It just made his grin widen. At least until she reached over and slapped him smartly on the forehead. As Dean held his head in surprise she grinned and said with a shrug, "mosquito."

Dean shook his head and laughed. He then reached down into the mud, he was sitting in, picked up a dripping handful and flung it at her. It landed with a wet thump, right in the middle of her forehead. Dean watched her reach up and swipe at the mess dripping from her face. He watched as her eyes narrowed, and a fierce look came over her face. Uh oh, thought Dean, that may have been a mistake.

Dean hadn't even realized she had moved, until she had launched herself across the small divide. She landed neatly on top of him, a handful of mud ready and waiting. He tried to wiggle away from her as she ground the mud into the top of his head. She had him pinned against the tree, and he found he couldn't move. Then as she settled astride his hips, he found he didn't want to move.

He gently wiped at the smear of mud covering her beautiful face and kissed her. He felt the fight go out of her. They began kissing in earnest, coming up for short panting breaths before diving in once again.

"Come on guys, you're supposed to be helping me chase this damn thing down, not acting out your mud wrestling fantasies. God, why do I have to always be the adult." Sam said, as he slammed past the couple and moved off into the dense, murky, swamp trying to find the nasty, mud-loving creature they hunted.

Dean pressed his forhead to Catherine's and sighed softly, "You know some day, our little Sammy's going to grow up and move away. And it'll just be you and me knocking around in that big old house. Will you still love me then?"

Catherine reached up and cradled Dean's face in her hands. She kissed him softly and replied, "I will always love you, even if I'm no longer with you. You remember that Dean. Forever's not just a word to me. I'm yours and I always will be."

Dean leaned his head against her warm chest and hugged her tight. "Catherine, there's something I need you to promise me."

Catherine's face crumpled, with tears in her voice, she said, "You don't have to say it, Dean. I know."

Dean brushed the tears from her face and said softly, "I'd never survive without him, Catherine. You have to promise me, promise me that no matter what Sam comes first. Promise me, Catherine."

Catherine lifted her face slightly and looked deep into Dean's green eyes. "I swear, by all that I am and ever will be, Sam comes first. I know Dean, I know that without him, you'd be lost to me."

Dean's eyes suddenly focused on the present, as he heard the echoes of that promise. She had lived up to it, against her better judgment time and time again. She always made sure Sam was safe first and foremost. For just a moment Dean's face showed the bleakness he felt in his soul. He quickly pushed away his thoughts and squared his shoulders. He would find them, find them and save them both.

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Together Hannah and Dean entered the casino and quickly made their way toward a set of double doors, marked employees only. He was sure, it was the same door Catherine had dissapeared behind. As they pushed open the door Dean noted a long hallway. No other choice in sight he motioned Hannah behind him and moved down the hall.

Finally they came to a door marked security. Dean nodded at Hannah, indicating she should stay put and moved quickly through the door. Hannah heard a voice question Dean. She winced as when she heard the older hunter hit the man in reply. She moved toward the door and jumped slightly, when Dean appeared to motion her in.

As Hannah entered the room, she noticed a large man sitting tied to a chair. Black strapping ties, held down his arms and legs. The man seemed to be barely conscious, Hannah shot a nervous glance at Dean wondering what he expected of her.

Dean sighed in frustration and said, "Hannah, if you could pull your little Jedi mind trick I would appreciate it. Find out what he knows if he's seen her?"

Hannah moved cautiously toward the man. "Did you see a girl tonight, long dark hair, blue eyes?" Hannah watched as the man answered freely "yes". Hannah glanced back at Dean with a question in her eyes, she really wasn't sure what Dean needed to know. He simply stared back at her one eyebrow lifted.

"Where is she? What have you done with her?" The man answered, outlining where she was and exactly what had been done to the young woman. As his description continued, Hannah actually thought she might throw up. She glanced at Dean and watched the muscle in his cheek tic over and over again.

She was poised, ready to try and stop the hunter from killing the possessed man. Instead to Hannah's surprise, Dean simply pulled out a black book and began what appeared to be an excorcism. Afterward, Hannah wiped the man's memory clean and had sent him on his way.

After that, she practically ran to keep up with the longer legged hunter. By the time they got to the car, she was panting. Afraid she'd be left behind, Hannah got in the black car in a hurry. As they arrived at the hotel, she got out of the car, he didn't. Instead he quickly scribbled down something on a piece of paper and handed it to her.

"You need to pack up and get out of here. You may be able to come back, but you might not. Go to this address and show the man that lives there, this piece of paper. His name is Bobby Singer, he's a hunter, he'll keep you safe, until we get there." Dean was about to put the car in gear, when he noticed Hannah's hand on his shoulder.

"Please, Dean can't I help?" Hannah pleaded. Dean's smile was cold and brittle. "No. Don't worry though I'm bringing them back, I'm getting them both back." With that Dean spun out of the parking lot never once looking back.

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Sam couldn't watch any more, he was pinned against a wall, his face the only thing that was allowed to move. He felt like a coward as he moved his head away from the sight in front of him. They were killing her, there was no doubt in his mind. And the worst part was that she was egging them on, the taunts coming from her never ceased.

Sam looked once more toward Williams, noticing the slightly sick cast to the demon's already pallid skin. He just wouldn't accept that Dean wasn't on his way. However, he had already let it slip that if he killed Catherine he would be earning his father's ire. By the look on Williams face he really didn't want anger his father.

Catherine lay on the ground, an unseen force seemed intent on pulling her arms from their sockets. Sam had already heard one of her shoulders pop. Catherine had laughed and called the demon a failure.

The Mountain, as Sam had come to think of him finally stopped the torture and turned toward his boss. As he walked closer to Williams, Sam saw Catherine watching them both avidly. Sam suddenly tensed, he could see that Catherine was planning something. She glanced quickly back at Sam and smiled, a single tear ran down her cheek. Sam thought he saw her mouth the words, goodbye, but he couldn't be sure.

As her gaze returned to Williams, Sam saw a definite smile. A moment later Williams screamed, and Sam felt himself fall to the floor. Catherine struggled to her feet, and began chanting in Latin, her hands held out in front of her. As Sam moved forward, he noted that her nose was bleeding freely and blood seemed to be coming out of her ears.

As she finished the exorcism, Sam saw the demon's smoke rise up and dissipate. The two men slumped forward, still held up by some unseen force. It was only as Catherine fell to the ground that the two men were released. Sam quickly leaned down and felt for a pulse. It was there , though faint and erratic. Sam sent up a heartfelt prayer and lifted the girl into his arms.

As he moved into the deserted warehouse, he noted just how light Catherine had felt. He had carried her once several months ago, when she had sprained her ankle. He wondered, why he hadn't noticed just how wasted she had become.

Sam was about to push through the last door, when a voice called out behind him. "That's three you owe me, Sammy. Two sons and one daughter, you my young man have been upgraded, from a thorn in my side to a pain in my ass."

Sam turned and discovered a man standing behind him. He was tall and heavyset, probably in his early twenties. He looked like nothing more than your average college football player, except for his glowing yellow eyes.

Sam stopped and carefully lowered Catherine to the ground. "Well, we're even as far as I'm concerned, you owe me a father." Sam stepped in front of Catherine.

The man leaned comfortably against a packing crate and studied his fingernails. "No, No Sammy can't blame me for Johnny, he made that deal fare and square. No, I still think you owe me and I plan on collecting." With that Sam felt something force him to slide across the ground. He finally came to rest at the base of a wall with a bone shattering hit.

Two more hits and Sam found that he was barely conscious. He kept trying to crawl toward Catherine. "Sammy, Sammy come on really, she's dead why bother reaching her. Her soul is in my possession as we speak. You didn't think that I would allow anyone you care about to live, do you? No. See, my son was too quick to act and he died for his foolishness. He thought that he could break the girl's spirit. Turn her toward me, instead of against me. He grossly underestimated her, though." Sam once again found himself thrown against the wall.

"No, he made a grave error thinking that the girl was the weak link. And now I must salvage something from his fruitless plans." The demon grinned at Sam and moved toward Catherine's prone body. He swiftly kicked out and grunted in satisfaction when Catherine showed no sign of feeling it. Sam saw that the flow of blood from her nose and ears was pooling under her head.

"Now, Sammy, let's talk shall we, I want to know where your big brother is. I need to know, Sammy." The demon leaned over Sam, soft geen eyes, stared into unnatural yellow ones.

"Hey, I'm right here man. You want me come and get me, bitch."

Sam whipped his head around as he heard Dean's voice from right behind the demon. Sam watched as Dean brought the shotgun he carried down on the man's head with enough force to crack the his skull.

The demon dropped to the ground and Sam felt himself released for a moment. Dean quickly helped Sam to his feet and turned toward Catherine. Dean's face became enraged at the sight before him. As he leaned down to pick up her prone body, he felt something slam against him.

"Ah, goody, goody the gang's all here, so nice of you to join us, big brother. We were waiting impatiently." The demon approached Dean, sending him once again flying across the room. Sam watched helplessly as the demon hit his brother with burst after burst of energy.

Finally, as Dean dropped to the floor, the demon said, "Now, this is how you make a family suffer, right, Sam? Now, let's see Dean feel the pain."

With that a voice behind the demon said, "Fuck you, and your monologues." With that Sam felt the binding that held him disappear. He saw Dean stand up, unhindered. Sam's eyes flew to Catherine, and he nearly cringed, as the light from the rising sun shone through the warehouses windows. As Sam watched, the light seemed to create a halo around Catherine's head.

Her eyes were completely focused on the demon before her. As Sam watched a trickle of blood began running from the corners of her eyes, to join the blood that was flowing freely from her nose.

Sam looked toward the demon and saw that it seemed to be held by some invisible bond. It was straining and screaming in frustration. As Sam and Dean moved toward Catherine, she wavered for a moment. Sam felt the lash of pain down his spine as the demon managed to reach out once again. Catherine's whole body seemed to almost convulse, as the pain left Sam once again.

Just as Catherine began to sink to the ground, Dean caught her and swung her up into his arms. Sam noted that Catherine's eyes never left the demon. Sam followed Dean out the door, and ran by his brother's side toward the Impala. As they raced for the car Sam felt, more than heard, a vibration that seemed to erupt from under them.

Dean gently lowered Catherine into the rear seat, he then moved in beside her and tossed Sam the keys. As he began to drive away a glance in the rearview showed the building was completely engulfed in flames. As Sam pulled out onto the road he noticed that the building had now settled almost completely in on itself, as if the Nevada desert was trying to swallow it whole.

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Dean sat with Catherine's poor battered face on his knees, he had told Sammy to just drive. He carefully used a handkerchief to wipe what blood he could off of her face.

He felt her flinch as Sam hit a bump. Her eyes opened and she offered him a weak smile. "I did it right, Dean. I kept him safe." At Dean's answering nod, she drifted off again. Dean quickly brushed away the tear that had fallen to his cheek and laid his head against hers "You did it kiddo, you kept us all safe."


	7. Chapter 7

Sam drove east, glancing time and again at the rearview mirror. Every time he looked all he could focus on was the blood now covering both Catherine and Dean. It seemed to be everywhere; he tried once again. "Dean, we gotta take her to a hospital before she bleeds to death. Let me find one, please, Dean."

Dean never taking his eyes off of the woman he held, sighed. Sam had been arguing with Dean for the last two hours. Dean was sick of making excuses why Catherine couldn't go to the hospital. He finally drew a tired breath and told his brother the truth. "Sam, the demon will be tracking us. If we stop it will come for you, I can't protect you in a hospital."

Dean felt the Impala slow and move onto the gravel shoulder. Sam slammed the car into park and got out. He quickly opened the back door and looked at the man before him. "Dean, this is Catherine. Demon or not, we can't just sit by and watch her die. I can't have her blood on my hands, Dean, the guilt will kill me." Sam quickly glanced away, but not before Dean saw the guilt on his face.

"Sam, what's going on? What's wrong?" Dean asked, focusing on his brother for the first time since they had left Vegas.

Sam shook his head, and said softly, "I didn't believe in her, I let the Demon influence my decisions. I should have protected her. The last words I said to her..." Sam trailed off as he saw the look of anger that filled his brother's face. "I accused her of leading us into the demons hands. I didn't believe in her," Sam said, in a whisper.

Dean's hands shook with anger as he gently pulled the blanket that lay on Catherine higher, tucking it carefully around her. He opened his door and gently laid her head on the leather seat. As he climbed out he remained on the far side of the car, he knew that if he moved anywhere near Sam, he would hit him.

And really it wasn't just Sam he wanted to hit, he was just as pissed at himself for asking Catherine to sacrifice herself for Sam. And if he were really honest, he was just as pissed with Catherine for doing it.

This is some fucked up shit, Dean thought to himself, hands braced on the trunk of the black car. "Sam, how could you? How could you believe some smooth talking demon over Katie? She's done nothing to warrant your mistrust."

Sam stared at his brother listening to the guilt that laced his voice. "Really Dean, nothing, she's been lying to us Dean." Sam held up a hand and ticked his fingers off one by one. "Hannah's one of the children Dean, did she tell you that? She can block you from following her, how about that Dean did she tell you that also. And apparently she's got enough telekinetic power to make Carrie look like a friggin' spoon bender."

Sam ran a tired hand through his shaggy hair and wished he could take the words back as soon as he said them. He didn't want to fight with Dean, and no matter what, he knew deep in his heart that if Catherine did die, she had done it for him and Dean.

Dean simply stood there looking at his brother, he considered lying for a moment but just couldn't do it. Instead he turned his back on him, and said, "No, Sam I didn't know about Hannah until she told me herself earlier today. I also didn't know about the telekinetic power, although I was stupid not to pick up on it. As far as her ability to block me from her, yeah I did know that I just chose not to tell you."

Sam considered Dean's words, and asked, "Why should you have know about the power?" He saw Dean move to open the back door and once again slid into the car. Sam quickly got back in the driver's seat and moved the big car back out onto the road. "Why, Dean?" Sam asked, as he glanced at his brother in the rearview.

"Because Sam, the last couple of months you and I have suffered few injuries. Looking back now I can see that she's been using the power to keep us safe. You remember the witch in Topeka, I was hanging over the edge of a goddam cliff and the witch was in the process of strangling you. All of the sudden I get thrown safe and clear and Catherine managed to stab that bitch in the throat."

"Catherine couldn't stand to save just one of us; she managed to save us both. At the time I kind of thought it was you." Dean once again attempted to staunch the flow of blood that was leaking from Catherine's nose.

"I did this Sam, I'm the one that forced her to develop what was probably a dormant power. I made her promise something, and lashing out with her power was the only way she could keep her promise." Dean felt another tear slip from his eye. Katie hadn't had a choice, when faced with losing Dean or breaking her promise, she had managed to find a way to save them both.

Sam sat in the front seat, thinking about what Dean had just said, "Dean, what promise did you make her give? What, Dean," Sam spoke to the top of Dean's head because he refused to raise his eyes to Sam's.

"I made her promise to keep you safe Sam, to keep you safe above anything else. She swore to me Sam, she swore and now here she lays bleeding to death. And I can't even get her help, because the power she used to save you is probably leading half a dozen different freaks straight to us. I've as good as killed her Sam." Dean said, picking up Catherine's battered hand and holding it lightly.

Sam swore and hit the steering wheel with the palms of his hands. It always came back to him, all the death and pain. It was always his fault, well no more Sam decided as he began heading for the nearest town. Catherine had almost killed herself to keep Sam safe, Sam would do no less to save her.

Dean never noticed Sam's departure from the highway, and he was only marginally aware when the black car pulled over to a sidewalk and Sam got out.

Dean hadn't told Sam the worse thing, hadn't told Sam what scared him the most. Hadn't told him that no matter how hard Dean listened, no matter how hard he concentrated he could detect no sign of Catherine. It's like she was already gone, even though her heart still beat.

Dean had kept in his mind, buried deep, the idea that the three of them may not make it. That one of them would fall to the Demon or another equally evil creature. But in all his nightmares it had never occurred to him that the music that had become a part of him would stop. That in losing Catherine he would end up with silence.

Dean hated silence he always had. His father was a silent man, not given to talking simply to hear himself talk. Dean had always thanked the fates that Sam seemed to have missed that one trait, for all that he was similar to John in so many other ways.

To Dean noise was life and life was noisy, just as it should be. Dean searched the reaches of his mind for any scrap of noise, no matter how faint. When Sam finally got back into the car, Dean didn't even notice. He was too busy listening for a sound that wasn't there.

There, thought Sam, as he read through the doctor's listings in the local phone book. Apparently, he was in Green Haven, though Sam at the moment couldn't remember what state Green Haven was located in. Sam ripped the page he was interested in out of the book and got back into the car. He drove two blocks before coming to the clinic that was housed inside an older building.

Sam got out and studied the building for a moment, head tilted to the side he concentrated on it, sensing something familiar about it.

"Excuse me young man, are you okay," An elderly voice sounded just behind Sam, startling him out of his contemplation. Sam turned to find a tiny bird of a woman standing just behind him.

"Un, no" Sam said quickly "I was just looking at that building, it seems familiar somehow." Sam again lifted his eyes to the building in front of him. Memories swirling he just couldn't place why it seemed so familiar.

The lady suddenly beamed at him and patted his arm. "You're right young man, you probably have seen a building very similar. Do you want a hint?" She asked, eyes sparkling.

Sam nodded slowly knowing that he needed to get Catherine to the help, but unable to resist the challenge.

"It's based on a famous Italian cathedral, on a smaller scale of course." The lady practically bounced up and down on her toes, smiling in delight.

Sam rolled his eyes and said with a smile, "St. Peter's of Rome, right. Man, I knew it looked familiar."

The lady before him beamed and clapped her hands in delight. She launched into the history of the building, offering up more details than Sam wanted. Suddenly, though he put up a hand and said, "What wait a minute this was a practicing Catholic Church up until when?"

The lady beamed at the interest the young man displayed, normally the youth of today didn't give a fig for history. This young man though, he was an exception. "Up until 2000, at that time the congregation simply grew too large and built a newer facility farther out of town. They donated this property to the clinic."

Sam quickly thanked the woman and moved toward the big black car behind him. The woman quickly realized that she had lost the younger man's attention. She sighed and moved off. Oh, well she thought to herself at least he had listened for a moment.

Sam opened Dean's door, and noticed how Dean jumped. "Dean, come on, I've found help." Sam saw a glazed look in Dean's eyes. "Dean" Sam barked "Get your ass moving, that's an order." Sam watched as Dean's eyes seemed to clear somewhat and he gathered Catherine in his arms and lifted her out of the car. Sam winced he knew that nothing worked to get Dean moving like an order, but Sam always hated to do it.

Dean stumbled slightly holding Catherine against him; he refused to allow Sam to carry Catherine into the building. "Sam, you know this is a mistake. We can't protect ourselves here."

"Just trust me Dean; it's going to be okay." Sam said, as he moved toward the waiting room, hoping to flag down someone quickly.

"Sam, Sammy, just stop this isn't right, we're not just endangering ourselves. There are innocents here. Sam, stop and listen," Dean finally shouted at his brother, hoping to get his attention.

Sam shot a sudden grin at Dean and held out his hands. "It was a church, Dean, the ground's been consecrated, we win. It'll offer protection from just about anything."

Dean finally looked around the old stone building and felt the smallest ray of hope. "MEDIC" Dean yelled at the top of his voice. Sam watched as medical professionals fell out of the woodwork.

Sam grinned appreciatively at the way they responded to Dean's no nonsense demeanor. As Catherine was quickly settled on a gurney and was pushed into the trauma center, Sam caught Dean's eyes and the brother's shared a small smile.

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Sam sighed as he spied the large, formidable nurse approaching him once again. Sam mentally prepared himself to battle the woman now standing in front of him. "Mr. Chase, this is unacceptable, I will not allow this in my hospital." Both combatants stood glaring at each other, arms crossed, eyes glaring.

Sam simply waited; he had learned that offering any kind of apology for his brother simply made more complaints. And to be honest at this point Sam was sick with worry for Catherine. She hadn't woken once in the ten hours since they had arrived.

Caroline Post knew her job, as head nurse she was the one that others looked to for guidance and leadership. And the two men that had descended on her once orderly clinic had done nothing but disrupt her employees since they had arrived.

She looked at the young man ahead of her and sighed at the sadness and worry she saw in his face. However, in Caroline's mind that did not excuse his brother's behavior.

"He's doing it again, and when I told him he had to either stop or leave he told me to go fu... Well it really wouldn't be polite for me to repeat what he said. Needless to say, this cannot continue." Caroline's eyebrows rose, as she spotted the young man in front of her smother a smile. "This is no laughing matter, that woman needs rest and he keeps climbing into the bed with her. Now we have already broken several important rules, in order to accommodate..."

That's about when Sam had stopped listening, he nodded in all the right places and allowed his mind to wander over the past hours. The small clinic, although very modern in some ways couldn't offer a CAT Scan or MRI so they had done what they could with old fashion X-rays. And what a nightmare that had been.

For whatever reason, Catherine's pulse decreased whenever Dean left her side. Once Dean had heard a passing nurse mention that, he had point blank refused to leave her side. He had stayed through the x-rays, through surgery to repair a broken collar bone and while they splinted four of her fingers and gave her the 27 stitches she required in four different areas. Dean had been immovable.

Sam grinned again, at the nurse's slightly hysterical tone. Sam had a feeling that she had finally met her match, after twenty years of nursing. As she wound down he simply continued to stare, she finally grunted at his lack of response and left. Sam watched her disappear toward the nursing station and tried his best not to laugh.

Sam had learned the silent trick from Dean, every time someone came to remove him from Catherine's side he ignored them. Ignored them as only Dean could, he would begin by simply refusing to acknowledge the person, and if they continued to push he would begin to sing. Softly at first, but rising in volume if the person in question didn't take the hint.

They had tried blackmailing him, but when they threatened to call the police he had immediately asked for release papers for Catherine. When the staff saw that he was serious, they backed off the threats and moved on to nagging.

Sam walked to Catherine's door and looked in. There was Dean lying next to her in the hospital bed, he was holding Catherine's heavily bandaged hand. He was whispering in her ear, Sam had noticed that Dean talked almost non-stop to Catherine. Sam fleetingly wondered what he was telling her.

Sam heard the tread behind him and turned to confront, another nurse who he was sure was about to plead on the staff's behalf. Instead the nurse surprised him by saying "Mr. Chase, a state trooper is here, he'd like to ask you and you're brother to answer a few questions."

Sam saw the trooper approaching from down the hall, and he almost panicked. Upon entering the hospital, Dean had been questioned by the attending doctor. She had asked how Catherine was injured, and then she had asked Dean if he was any relation. Dean had known he was about to be shunted aside and had quickly answered yes. That he was Dean Chase, husband to Catherine. He had then introduced Sam as his brother Sam Chase.

Sam had almost chocked on a nervous laugh, especially when he had looked down to see Dean's ever present silver ring on his left ring finger. The attitudes of the staff had changed, they had treated Dean with respect and allowed him to make Catherine's medical decisions.

Now though, the problem was that neither man had ID to back up their story. The hospital had accepted their word but the state police would be another matter. Sam gave the man approaching his attention, as the man came closer lifting his hat from his head Sam once again almost felt himself laugh.

Staring at him with a twinkle in his eye was Bobby, his state police uniform neatly pressed, a notepad in his hand. Sam had to close his eyes for a moment just to make sure that he wasn't hallucinating. Sam had called Bobby immediately upon arriving at the clinic, letting the hunter know what had happened and Catherine's status. Sam had also, wanted to make sure that Hannah had arrived safely although Sam had refused to talk to her.

At Bobby's kind look Sam almost felt himself tear up. It had been over twenty four hours since he had last slept. Bobby took pity on Sam, ushering him quickly into Catherine's room. He then turned and informed the nurse that he would be taking statements from the men and didn't want to be disturbed.

As Bobby shut the door behind him, he looked toward the hospital bed. He felt tears welling up in his own eyes. Over the last five years Catherine had become like a daughter to him, and the Winchester boys the son's he had never had. He had seen the three of them through some tough situations, but never anything like this. Bobby noted that Dean didn't even seem to realize that he had entered the room.

Bobby walked over to the bed, patting Sam on the shoulder as he did. When he finally approached he saw Dean glance up warily. At seeing Bobby though his face seemed to turn to stone, he carefully moved from the bed. At first Bobby had eyes only for the broken girl in front of him.

Bobby was first and foremost a hunter had been for longer than he cared to think about. He had seen plenty of injuries and had broken so many bones in his old body it was a wonder he wasn't crippled. Nothing though, none of it could have prepared him for the sight of Catherine.

To say she was bruised didn't convey enough, to say she was battered didn't do it justice. Bobby had seen corpses that looked better. He carefully reached out intending to touch her face, only to realize that every inch of her face was bruised. He settled for carefully touching her battered hand.

Bobby pulled out a handkerchief and quickly wiped his eyes and blew his nose. Then he shifted his focus to them man in front of him. Bobby noted the guilt in his eyes and searched his tired mind for some way to release Dean from that burden. He knew first hand what guilt could do to a person. In the end Bobby simply moved around the bed, and pulled Dean into his arms for a hug. At first Dean remained stiff, and then he slowly seemed to melt into the older man's arms.

Dean latched onto Bobby with surprising strength, he managed to hold back the sobs that threatened to overtake him. He couldn't stop the tears that ran down his face though. As Dean felt the pressure inside him realease, he realized that Bobby was speaking to him. "Not your fault, Dean, she would never want you to take the blame, it's a tough life and she's tougher than most." Useless words really thought Dean, however he receive some comfort from them.

Dean nodded at Bobby, and pushed back slowly. He moved away from the bed and headed into the adjoining bathroom, he hurriedly splashed cold water on his face. As he dried his hands he began to hear Catherine's heart monitor, go into alarm. He left the bathroom at a sprint and was back at her side as the nurse came in.

Dean looked up worriedly at the monitor attached to Catherine, he shot the nurse a look, and said, "I only stepped away for a moment."

The nurse quickly checked Catherine's vitals and shook her head. In all her years she had never seen something like this. The only thing that came close was that sometimes it happened to premature babies. Their vitals were only strong when in the presence of their mothers.

She nodded to the young man and patted his shoulder. "She's okay now; her vitals are back to where they were."

Dean carefully slid back on the bed next to Catherine, he sat with his back against the headboard and laid his hand carefully along her face. As his eyes rose to meet Bobby's he simply said, "I'm sorry, Bobby. She saved us."

Bobby pulled up a chair and pressed Sam into it, he then moved toward the far wall and made himself comfortable on the wall heater that was under the window. "Now, how about you start at the beginning, and tell me what the fuck happened."


	8. Chapter 8

Dean sat on the bed next to Catherine, and allowed Sam to give Bobby the story. Dean listened intently as he had missed much of it himself. As he sat, his eyes completely focused on the girl by his side, he felt a sense of pride deep in his soul. She had done it, she had protected Sammy with every ounce of breath she possessed.

Dean also, acknowledged to himself that he really shouldn't feel guilty. He knew Catherine well enough to know that she would have done the same for anyone, under attack from the demon. It was her way, to protect those around her. He only wished she had managed to take care of herself better.

As Sam ended the story, he sat back and waited for the inevitable questions that Bobby would ask.

"Damn," was all Bobby could think to say for a moment. "Alright, now these powers we're all agreed they're new right. So that must mean one of two things, either something brought them to the surface, or else Catherine has had them all along and simply didn't realize it. Have you boys noticed anything off lately?"

Sam looked toward Dean and waited for his older brother to answer. Dean nodded, and said softly, "Yeah, we were on a job about two months ago, real nasty witch. I was trapped and it was choking Sam, Catherine managed to throw me about ten feet in the air toward safety. That was the first. At the time I shrugged it off as Sammy, and then in the wake of her fever, I just forgot."

Bobby stood and strode over to where the men were seated. "Fever, what fever?" Bobby asked, staring intently at Dean and Sam.

Surprise lit Sam's face. "You know about the fever. She told you right, when she came to see you a couple of weeks ago?" At Bobby's look of ignorance Sam's face clouded over and he shot a look at his brother. At the expression on Dean's face, Sam became even angrier. "You knew. You knew she never went to Bobby's and you didn't tell me. How could you keep something like that from me Dean? How could you allow me to blindly trust her when she was lying to me?" Sam stood and moved towards the room's only window.

Dean sighed and looked toward Bobby, noting the sympathy on the older man's face. Dean chose to ignore Sam for the moment. "Within hours of dealing with the witch, Katie, came down with a fever. No other symptoms. She got so bad we rushed her to the emergency room. Three days later and a whole lot of head scratching by the doctors, and she was released good as new."

Bobby looked intently at Dean, and asked, "Was she? Was she good as new?" Bobby had an idea in the back of his head what had caused the fevers, he just needed some confirmation from Dean.

Dean looked down at Catherine once again, and thought about the weeks following her sickness. He had been so happy to have her back that he hadn't realized just how wrong she had seemed. "No, I guess she really wasn't good as new. She stopped eating, and she wasn't sleeping well. She was pale and seemed nervous. At the time I just assumed it was the lingering effects of whatever had made her ill. Now, I'm not so sure."

Bobby nodded and took Sam's vacant chair. "Well it's pretty safe to say that in a moment of need, Katie forced a dormant telekinetic power to the surface. In a big enough way that it caused her body to spike a fever. And I can tell you, from experience, that the symptoms she showed after were simply her way of dealing with guilt. I'm sure she felt disloyal for not telling you about her sudden powers."

Sam turned from the window, and asked, "How do you know the guilt wasn't from something else, something more sinister? I mean we haven't seen hide nor hair of that demon in almost a year, and now it turns out that Catherine's carrying around a load of secrets." Sam's face hardened as he stared at the unconscious hunter.

Sam ignored the pain he saw in Dean's eyes at the harsh words. He swore to himself that if Catherine had put Dean in danger, he would finish the job the demon had started.

Sam never saw what hit him, he was just suddenly pushed against the wall. He could hear harsh breathing in his ear, "You will never again suggest that my Katie is in any way in league with the demon. Do you understand me? She has done nothing but give her life for those that suffer. You'd do well to remember that." Sam straightened as Bobby released the hold he had on him.

Sam shot a look at Dean, he hadn't moved, instead he stared at the heart monitor that was attached to Catherine. Sam looked himself and noted that Catherine's heart rate had slowed even more. He quickly tamped down the worry that rose in him, and told himself that he didn't care. With that he grabbed his jacket and left the room.

Bobby turned toward Dean, and said, "She hasn't done anything to deserve your disloyalty, Dean. I know that. You know that right?" Bobby stared intently at the younger hunter, he realized just how much Dean had aged since Bobby had last seen him.

Dean simply nodded. "She sacrificed herself for Sam. There was no reason for her to do that if she was planning on giving Sam up." Dean took another slow breath and raised his head staring into Bobby's eyes. "There is nothing that she could do that would shake my faith in her."

Bobby nodded at Dean's words and watched as the hunter closed his eyes for moment. "Listen, I'm gonna go see about Sam, maybe he'll listen to reason." Dean didn't even acknowledge Bobby's words. As Bobby moved to open the door he turned for a moment, and said, "Dean, it kills me to say this but, Sam, he isn't safe around her. With the amount of energy she used, to destroy that building the demon will be able to track her in a moment."

With these words Dean found his attention locked on Bobby. "Sam's got the same power, what's the difference. Why is the danger any greater?" Dean watched, as Bobby answered hesitantly.

"Dean, Sam on a good day can manage maybe a trickle of his power. Catherine though is more like a river. It'll draw all that's bad toward her. Now this building will help to keep all the smaller stuff out, but the yellow eyed demon could walk right in here and you wouldn't be able to stop it." Bobby took one more pitying look toward the figures on the bed and left. As he pulled the door shut behind him he wiped yet another tear from his weathered cheek.

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Sam had walked down the hallway, his mind churning with too many thoughts. Now that his temper had calmed somewhat he was disgusted with himself. No matter what mistakes Catherine had made, he knew deep down that she wouldn't have handed him over to the demon.

The thing was, he had trusted her. And lately he was running out of people he trusted. His Dad and even Dean had kept secrets from him, and it hurt. He had been sure that he could trust Catherine and now, well now there was just too much doubt.

Sam moved toward the small lunch room in the back of the clinic, he quickly poured himself a cup of coffee and took a seat by the window. He saw that it was raining outside and the sky was cloudy and overcast, Sam found himself idly wondering what day it was and how long had it been since he had reluctantly left Hannah's bed.

Hannah now there was another person that had lied, or a least withheld the truth. Yeah, Sam thought to himself, he was a great judge of character. Sam heard someone enter the room and looked up, surprised to see Bobby making himself a cup of coffee. Sam watched warily as Bobby came toward him.

"For Christ's sake, Sam, I ain't planning on hitting you. I just wanted to talk." Bobby sat on the chair opposite Sam and took a hesitant sip of his coffee. Bobby made a grimace and stole a glance at the young man sitting next to him. He looked like shit, thought Bobby.

He wondered how long it had been since either Winchester had slept. He hadn't even realized he had voiced the thought aloud until Sam answered.

"I'm not even sure what day today is, let alone the last time I slept." Sam ran a hand through his hair wearily. He began apologizing to Bobby, "Bobby, I'm really so…."

"No, Sam, just listen. Catherine had her reasons for not telling you. They may be shity reasons but just the same, they were important to her. See when I found Catherine knocked unconscious and realized who she was I took her home with me to recuperate. She had been hunting on her own for quite a while and she was falling apart."

Bobby leaned back in his chair and took another sip of his coffee. He remembered the first day they had spent together like it was yesterday, instead of several years ago.

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Bobby leaned over the bed and carefully felt the forehead of the young girl that lay there. He frowned once again at the purple swelling just above her left temple. Her forehead was cool to the touch, good he thought no sign of fever.

As he moved to adjust the covers, a hand suddenly gripped his wrist and twisted sharply. Bobby found himself facing the opposite direction as the young girl forced him toward the opposite wall. Bobby grinned at the grit he sensed in the young girl.

Catherine was confused. The last she could remember was entering a creepy two story house with the intention of banishing a poltergeist. Now here she stood on shaking legs, trying her best to gather her thoughts. "Who are you? And where am I?" Catherine asked, applying pressure to the arm she held.

"Settle down, Catherine, I'm a hunter. I found you unconscious at that house. Nice job by the way banishing that poltergeist. It's a shame he managed a lucky shot with that hammer before he went." Bobby held himself still, hoping the young kid would realize he didn't mean her harm.

"How do you know my name?" Catherine asked, the confusion making her head ache unbearably.

"I asked around, I knew we were tracking the same thing and I wanted more information on you. I wasn't sure if you were a hunter or just some dumb kid. Guess I got my answer right?" Bobby said, a smile in his voice.

Catherine shook her head, unable to follow the hunter's words. Did he mean she was just some dumb kid or was it a complement? Catherine felt a sudden bout of nausea rise in her throat, her head was pounding and she was starting to see spots. She released the man and scrambled out the bedroom door hoping to stumble across the bathroom before she managed to lose what little food she had in her.

A pair of hands reached out and turned her shoulders slightly aiming her for what she could now see was the bathroom. She moved as quickly as she could slamming the door shut behind her.

Bobby turned toward the shadow in the corner and let out a laugh. "You're right, John, she's as stubborn as they come."

John's face broke into a rare smile and he replied, as he moved to gather his belongings. "Watch out for her, Bobby, she'll have you wrapped around her little finger in a minute."

Bobby frowned, suddenly as he saw John preparing to leave. "You're not going to stay? Take a minute and say hello?"

John opened the front door and looked toward the bathroom door. "Nah, I can't afford to Bobby. She'll be fine, she's tough enough." And with those callous words, John left the house moving toward the black pickup.

Bobby glared at his retreating back and cursed John. If he would have taken five minutes to tell the young girl that Bobby was on her side, it would have save her a lot of grief. Selfish Bastard, Bobby thought to himself, as he steeled himself to knock on the bathroom door.

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Bobby stopped his story and glanced at Sam. "That's how Catherine and I met. I told her later that your dad had been there, that's as close as I've ever seen her to breaking down. Ah, she was so disappointed, that John left her. I think at the time she would have given just about anything to be a part of John's family."

"He just left her, again. Same as the first time never called or came back?" Sam stared at Bobby as if looking for a reason, some excuse why his father had walked away yet again from Catherine.

Bobby stared out the window, "I think he felt he was watching out for her. I think he figured she was better off without him in her life. And he did teach her just about everything he knew. Anyway after a shaky beginning Katie and I hit it off."

Bobby leaned back once again and began talking "She was a hunter to her core. We'd run drills and hand to hand. We hunted together and she hunted a lot on her own. She'd come back to stay every couple of weeks and we fell into a routine. Slowly we began to feel like a family, like we belonged together. It was two years to the day that I first met Catherine that I let her down."

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Bobby looked out the kitchen window once again, he noted the clear skies and sunshine, his eyes once again scanning the yard. She should have been back by now he thought. It had been over three weeks. Catherine had never gone this long without a visit, even if she only stopped in passing.

What made him even more nervous was the phone call he had received last night. Catherine had sounded edgy and nervous. Nothing in her words suggested that anything was wrong, but Bobby knew her well enough to know something was off. Bobby looked out the window again, and practically jumped when he saw the cloud of dust, signaling that someone was coming down the drive.

Bobby moved toward the front door, grabbing his shotgun out of habit and moved to the front porch. As he watched the old wagoneer came into sight, he lowered the gun by his side and waited.

As the old vehicle came to a stop, Bobby saw the figure inside slowly move to get out. His brows drew down in a frown, Catherine did nothing slow. She was a bundle of nerves and energy; normally she would have bounded out already talking a mile a minute about what she had been hunting.

Catherine sat in the drivers seat and steeled herself to face Bobby, her best friend and the only family she had. She knew she could no longer keep this to herself, she had to tell someone, talk to someone about what was happening and Bobby was the only one she could bare to face.

She pushed open the driver's side door and sighed deeply, here goes nothing she thought to herself as she moved to face Bobby.

Bobby watched in shock as Catherine got out, she looked terriable, her face was grey and there were dark circles under her eyes. Bobby also noted that she seemed to have lost weight. As she moved closer though, she flashed him a small smile and reached up to hug him tight.

"It's good to be home," said Catherine, as she hugged the older hunter.

Bobby hugged her back, and said, "It's good to have you back, kid."

Later that night, after a good meal and a couple of beers, Catherine and Bobby sat in the living room. Catherine had a knife and a stone in her hand and she was sharpening the blade. Bobby was near the fireplace reading a thick novel on demon possession.

Catherine knew she couldn't let it go any longer. The stress was killing her, she had to talk to someone and she only hoped that Bobby would offer the help Catherine so desperately needed. "Bobby, I uh, needed to tell you," Catherine's voice dropped off to a whisper, as Bobby's eyes darted toward her.

Bobby frowned and a thought occurred to him suddenly. "Good God, child, tell me you're not pregnant."

"God, No, Bobby, what do you take me for, I can barely manage to take care of myself let alone anyone else." Catherine almost laughed at the relief on Bobby's face.

"This isn't about a man is it, because really, honey I'm afraid my advice would involve a shotgun, and I'm sure that really wouldn't do you much good?" Bobby said, now trying to get Catherine to smile again.

Catherine did laugh this time. "Nope, I've got the boys figured out pretty well already, Bobby." At this her face turned serious. "It's just that in the last month, I've noticed something, well something weird happening to me." Catherine again dropped her gaze, studying the knife she held in her hand.

"I've, I've been able to find things," Catherine blurted out in a sudden rush. Saying the words as fast as she could, that ways she wouldn't be able to stop herself.

Bobby knew that the confusion he felt must be reflected on his face. "I'm sorry, Katie girl, I don't understand. What do you mean you can find things?"

Catherine finally looked up into Bobby's face, and said, "Like if I concentrate hard enough I can locate what I need, what I want. You know like some kind of" At this point Catherine's voice dropped again. "Like a superpower or something."

Bobby actually felt his jaw drop open in astonishment. He quickly snapped it shut hoping that Catherine hadn't noticed. And then he did something that he would regret for a long time. He looked straight at the girl he had come to love as a daughter, and said, "Christo"

Catherine jumped to her feet, astonishment clear on her face. "I'm not possessed for God's sake. I'm not evil, I know I'm not."

And with those words she was gone. Gone from Bobby's, gone from the town he lived in. And as he tried to find her for hours and hours after she left, he figured she was gone from his state as well.

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Bobby looked up from the empty cup in his hand, and said to Sam, "It took me three months to find her, and close to that amount of time to build her trust back. I was a fool, but to be fair it's not every day that someone tells you that they've developed powers." At this Bobby sighed tiredly, he suddenly felt like an old man, well older anyway.

"If you're going to blame anyone for Catherine's mistake, blame me. I'm sure she was afraid of losing you and your brother, if she told you the truth. She was afraid to hear someone she loves doubt her, if even for a moment.

Sam stood and moved toward the window. "I know, Bobby, I was being stupid earlier. I couldn't tell Dean for months after my visions started. It's just Dad, hell even Dean have been so set in protecting me, in keeping things from me. I just took it for granted that Catherine wouldn't lie."

Bobby nodded. "I can understand that, just give her a chance to explain, Sam. Just put a little faith in her." Bobby stood, and said, "Ready to go back in."

Sam nodded and moved with purpose toward Catherine's room. Bobby was right, no matter what secrets Catherine had kept, Sam knew that she deserved a chance to be heard.

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As soon as Sam entered the room he sensed something wrong. Dean was standing by the side of Catherine's bed with his jacket on car keys in his hands. He was smoothing her hair back from her forehead and whispering again.

"What's up Dean?" Sam asked nervously. Dean looked like the living dead, Sam could only wonder if he looked half as bad.

"Get your gear together Sam we're leaving." Dean moved away from Catherine's side and grabbed Sam's jacket from where it sat.

Sam followed Dean out of the room, with a last gaze towards Catherine's bed. "Dean, wait what's going on, what's the matter. I was wrong, I know I was. Dean" Sam caught Dean's arm and forced Dean to face him. "Stop and tell me what's going on."

Dean refused to look into his younger brother's eyes. "We have to go Sam, before the demon finds us. Bobby's right, the demon will be able to track us through Catherine. We can't afford to stay in one place and wait for its attack." Dean began moving again toward the exit.

Sam looked at Bobby, who simply shrugged, and said with rising hysteria, "We can't just leave her Dean. We can't just walk away from her."

Dean moved for the exit and called over his shoulder. "Now, Sam, let's go. We can't afford to stay. She'll be fine; she's tough enough and Bobby will stay and watch over her."

Sam moved in slow motion toward the exit, as he followed Dean he couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness that trailed him. He got in the passenger seat and turned to Dean planning on reaming him out for his insensitivity. Instead, he saw Dean brush a tear from his eye. Sam found that he couldn't say anything over the tightness in his throat.


	9. Chapter 9

The Yellow Eyed Demon smiled in delight, as the big black car pulled from the curb. He had been preparing to enter the former church and take the three by storm. This though, oh this was rich. The Winchesters had managed to do what he could not, they were killing the girl.

His first, the first child that he had marked as his, she would die tonight. And the best part, her death would kill a small part of the Winchesters at the same time. The proverbial two birds with one stone. What a lucky, lucky day.

He had planned on turning the first to his side, her strength was unrivaled. By his side they would have laid waist to the resistance. However, he had quickly found that she was somehow flawed. He had made her life as miserable as possible and she had flourished all the same. No cracks for him to force his way through. No she was better off dead, besides there were others, others waiting to stand by his side and be led onto victory.

Yes, thought the demon as he moved swiftly away from the building, not a bad day's work.

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Bobby stood helplessly as the doctors rushed into Catherine's room. They quickly put her on a ventilator and told the trooper that stood in the corner, they didn't have much hope. As Bobby watched a machine breathe for the once vibrant girl, he couldn't stop the hitch in his own chest.

The doctors and nurses questioned him, about the disappearance of the two other men. Bobby had simply said they had gone home to rest and asked him to watch over Catherine. He had assured everyone that he would contact them immediately.

Bobby sat in the ever darkening room as the life slowly but surely drained out of Katie.

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Sam was desperate, he knew that something bad was happening at the clinic. It was like he could feel a small part of his soul dying. He was unable to stop talking, to stop begging Dean to come to his senses.

He once again pleaded with Dean to stop the car, to turn back. Dean, however, refused to even acknowledge Sam. Sam for a moment, had even wondered if Dean had somehow taken leave of his senses and was driving on some sort of auto pilot.

They had been driving for about an hour when it finally came to Sam just why Dean was so determinately abandoning the woman he loved. Sam turned his head and willed Dean to look at him. "I figured it out you know. I know what you're doing. You're allowing her to die to keep me safe. But you can't, you know, Dean, you can't keep me safe. Not really, oh we can pretend that we have some control but really when it comes down to it there are no absolutes."

Sam took a deep breath and looked at Dean carefully, hoping to see some sign of life. Some sign that he heard the words Sam was saying. "All we have is the here and now, and I can't have her die, because we did nothing. I have to go back and try." With theses last words Sam opened the door to the speeding Impala.

Sam practically landed on the dashboard when Dean slammed on the brakes. Sam settled back into his seat slowly, pretty certain he had broken something important. He glanced across the seat at Dean, expecting to be berated for putting himself in danger. Instead, he saw Dean with his head leaning against the steering wheel.

Sam sat and watched for moments waiting for some sign of what Dean was going to do. Finally, Dean sat up straight. "I can't win, Sam, no matter how hard I try someone I love is going to die." Dean continued in a near whisper, "I wish Dad had never made that bargain, I wish I was free. I'm just so tired, no one should ever have to be this tired."

Sam looked at Dean and smiled faintly. "It's funny, I thank god every day that Dad made that damn bargain. The thought of having to go on by myself is unbearable. I would never have wished Dad dead, but I have wished you alive several times now, too many times in point of fact. You were right about me before, Dean, I am a selfish bastard. And what I want is the three of us together for as long as possible."

Sam saw Dean turn and look at him, he continued, "I was wrong, the most important thing is us together. Nothing else matters, if we live for another couple of hours or if we live to face down the demon at least we were together. I'd rather die with the two of you by my side, then knowing that you sacrificed yourselves for me. It's my life Dean, my decision."

Dean sighed softly, and said, "You're too important to the world Sam, you could save them all."

Sam nodded, and said "Maybe, Maybe I'd end up destroying it instead. I think, without you, without Catherine, the second one is much more likely. Turn around Dean, it's not too late, if the Demon finds us oh, well at least we can go out fighting." Sam could tell the moment that Dean gave in.

Dean nodded. "Yeah, I guess there really is no safe for us. I'm telling you though, Sam, I'm not going to stop trying to keep you safe. It's my job." Dean turned the big car around, and looked once more at Sam, he noted the tears in his baby brother's eyes. He held his glance for a moment more, hoping his eyes could say the words that he couldn't voice. He returned his attention once more toward the road.

Smiling softly, Sam said,"Jerk."

"Bitch," Dean replied, a faint smile on his face.

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They noticed the noise as soon as they entered the building. Footsteps running, voices shouting and above it all the whine of a heart monitor in alarm. The brothers never paused they moved quickly down the hall and came to the room that Catherine was in. As they looked through the door, all they could see was organized chaos. The doctor was standing over Catherine, applying paddles to her chest. The nurses were moving, following the doctor's barking orders. Bobby stood in the corner forgotten, watching with sad eyes.

Dean and Sam moved toward the bed, careful to avoid running into anyone. They could see the flat line on the monitor screen; they could hear the machine that had been breathing for Catherine, next to it.

Dean couldn't bare to watch. These were people that Catherine didn't even know, they were touching and pulling on her inert body. Catherine who hated to be touched by anyone other than Bobby or the Winchesters. His beautiful Katie, she deserved peace. She deserved to keep her pride intact.

Dean moved toward the bed and physically moved the doctor from Catherine's side. He cleared away the nurses with a whispered, "Stop, stop let her go in peace."

Dean didn't notice that Sam had moved to his side, or that the doctor had nodded to the shocked nurses. The doctor had been ready to call it anyway, if this young man wanted to spend these last moments with his wife then so be it.

Dean sank to his knees by Catherine's side, he laid one hand on her exposed arm and one on the side of her face. He dimly sensed Sam moving to the other side of the bed and doing the same.

And then he sat as he had for so many hours and listened. He listened for some sign that she was still there, or some sign that she was gone.

Bobby had seen the boys enter and had almost stopped them when they pushed aside the doctors. He hadn't been ready to let go yet. But he knew deep down that Catherine had let go the moment that Dean had left the first time. Buried deep in his heart, was the fear that Dean was to late.

Bobby watched the two boys kneel down on either side of Catherine. He watched as Sam laid his shaggy head on the side of her bed, hiding the tears that streamed down his face. Dean leaned in and carefully put his lips to Catherine's cheek. He began whispering something to her. Bobby finally bowed his head, unable to deal with his own pain, he couldn't stand the raw looks on the boy's faces.

Sam's head was bowed; he allowed the tears to fall unchecked. A part of him knew that he was soaking Catherine's arm, but another part thought that it really didn't matter anymore because she was gone. As he knelt there he finally heard what it was that Dean had been whispering to Catherine all this time. It broke Sam's heart, it shattered his soul.

Dean knelt next to his Katie, he pressed a kiss to her cheek and began the litany he had been using since he had picked her up at the warehouse. "Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

Over and over again. Dean said the Hail Mary, he wasn't even sure that it was appropriate, but it was the only prayer he had ever been able to remember. His mother had taught it to him as a child and he had relearned it after he had met Layla. He had said the prayer for her religiously, stopping only when he had learned of her death.

He said it now with a conviction, either God would answer his prayer or the prayer would follow his Katie into whatever came next. Either way it made Dean feel as if he was doing something.

The three men kept vigil over the young girl. The room was silent, except for the low rumble of Dean's voice.

At the first tone, no one took notice, then the second came and then a third. By the fourth tone, they could no longer deny what they were hearing. They waited minute after minute listening to the sound of Catherine's heart beating.

Bobby was the first to move, he quickly went to the doorway and yelled down the building for help. Staff came running from everywhere. As they entered the room they were greeted with the steady sound of Catherine's heart. It was then that one nurse noticed Catherine's chest rising and falling, trying desperately to pull in air. The breathing tube was removed, and they all listened in amazement as the young girl began breathing on her own.

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The Yellow Eyed Demon sat at an empty bar, and tapped his hand on the bar once again. The pretty blond barmaid quickly brought him another shot of Jack. He sat relishing the day's work. She was dead, he could feel it. He laughed out loud to himself, she had died alone. He brought his hand down once again on the bar indicating that he was ready for a refill.

He smiled roughishly at the young barmaid, and drew a hand along her arm. Days like this, so filled with pain and torment were a balm to him. He threw back his next shot and stood, time to move on, plenty to do he thought to himself, plenty to do.

As he moved toward the door of the bar, his body convulsed once. He threw back his head and let go a scream of rage and frustration. "No," he shouted.

A pulse flung the young barmaid to the ceiling, her blood dripping from a razor sharp wound across her stomach. A moment later a fire erupted burning so hot, that the girl was quickly engulfed.

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The townsfolk heard the unnatural scream that night. Mother's moved to check on their sleeping children, Father's moved to check the locks on the doors.

The town's oldest resident, shuddered as the sound awoke her from a sleep. Ginny Porter was one hundred and three years old, she had lived long, and sometimes she questioned whether it was too long. She smiled and lay back down beneath the covers, she may not know what had caused the sound, but she knew evil when she heard it. She could tell that whatever it was, had been dealt a substantial blow. She smiled grimly and hoped the evil thing that had made the sound was hurt and hurt bad.

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Dean rested once again on Katie's bed, he noted that Sam had fallen asleep in a chair, his head rested on Catherine's arm.

Dean knew he needed sleep, however, he found he was loath to take his eyes off her, he had come so close to losing her. Finally, he was unable to keep his eyes open, as they drifted shut he smiled. There faintly in the corner of his mind that he had come to think of as Katie's corner was a sound, weak at first but getting stronger and stronger. As sleep finally overcame Dean he found himself humming Ozzy's 'Road to Nowhere'. He smiled as he fell into sleep.


End file.
